BREAKING NEWS

Spring Mills’ Riner pumped for USA football

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Spring Mills’ Lane Riner transitioned into a leadership role quicker than most quarterbacks. As only a junior, he became the go-to guy for the Cardinals in the pocket during the school’s first season, and now he’s taking his game a step further. Riner starts playing in USA National Development games hosted by USA Football, today and lasting through Saturday.

Riner joins about 200 of other top players in the country who earned a sport through either nomination, invitation or tryout at a regional development camp.

“I was very excited,” Riner said. “I really didn’t know what to think (when he received the invitation). It’s really an honor.”

The Cardinal earned his spot by first getting invited to a regional development camp in Washington, D.C. Riner and his family learned about the program from another football player and sent in his highlight reel, hoping for the chance.

Now the football player finds himself in the heart of football country and the hometown of SEC powerhouse Texas A&M. Though he won’t be running drills at the Aggies’ field, Riner’s excited to be in a place where football – especially at the high school level – is king.

“It’s definitely a big, big place to play,” Riner said. “Texas high school football is a big deal. It’s very exciting, a dream come true, to play in the Texas environment.”

The players will be broken down into four teams as they participate in various drills and competitions, including a 7-on-7 tournament, daily practice, a jamboree and a game against one of the other teams. Riner will focus his playing time on quarterback, hoping to become more knowledgeable about the game in general and learn how to read defenses better.

However, the Cardinal will be keeping his eye for other lessons on the field.

“I’m hoping to bring a lot of different things back to Spring Mills,” Riner said. “I’m hoping to develop better as an athlete.”

It’s not every day a boy from a small town in West Virginia gets the opportunity to play with some of the top players in the country and in front of college coaches and former NFL players.

Development sessions will be led by NCAA coaches and former NFL players, and Riner’s getting the same opportunity as some big football names, including Florida State’s Jameis Winston and New York Giants’ David Wilson.

“It’s kind of hard coming from Martinsburg, West Virginia (to get noticed),” Riner said. “Being right in front of (college coaches), it’s nice to know I’m getting my name out there.”

Having coaches from higher levels of play able to see his talents on the field is just part of how the program is preparing Riner for college. He will be rooming with other players from all over the country.

“It’s definitely going to be a taste of college,” he said.

All the experiences he will take back to his team is only a piece of how he’s inspiring his fellow players.

“They think it’s very cool,” Riner said about his friends. “Lots of our players want to get the regional tryout.”

But a leader is just what he’s become ever since taking over the quarterback role at Spring Mills as a junior. Riner said it was like jumping from sophomore season straight to senior season.

“It’s definitely a new feeling. I had to step into the role as a junior,” he said. “It definitely took a lot of hard work and dedication.”

Now, he’s jumping from junior season straight to college, but it’s all full of excitement for the young player.

“It’s obviously a good feeling, coming from West Virginia,” Riner said, adding he thought he was the only player from the state to earn a spot this year. “It’s a pretty big honor.”

The feeling extends to his family, who made the journey to Texas with him.

“For me, it’s great to be selected. It’s a pretty big honor,” said Riner’s father, Todd, who is proud of his son.

Riner’s family will be able to watch him whenever they want during the week as Riner and the other players have a week full of football.

After the program ends, the excitement continues as players wait to here who from the national level earns a spot on the international team. That team will play Canada in February at Maverick Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the University of Texas at Arlington.

“I’m very excited,” Riner said. “It’s definitely my main goal right now. It would be a dream.”